


Love in a Basket

by darkangel86



Series: Alex Manes Appreciation Week 2019 [7]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alex Manes Week 2019, Family Feels, Future Fic, Happy Ending, Kid Fic, Light Angst, M/M, Married Couple, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 14:23:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18780067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkangel86/pseuds/darkangel86
Summary: Five long years later and here Alex sat, still in his cabin but no longer alone. He smiled as he looked down at the silver band on his left hand. In the end it hadn't taken them as long to get their act together as Alex had feared it would. That day, and Alex could still remember it so clearly, sitting in the junkyard outside of the Airstream, his heart on his sleeve, waiting for Michael, terrified of what he was going to finally say to the other man only to be left waiting for hours on end before he'd had enough and got up to go in search of him.





	Love in a Basket

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Therealdeo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Therealdeo/gifts).



> Day 7 - Future Fic

It had taken some time, after that long two days what seemed like ages ago to Alex now. Two days of pain and misery and so much loss, very little gain in the middle. Between Michael first finding his mother only to lose her minutes later, to Alex finally in those moments where he thought he was about to lose Michael for good, realizing that he couldn't live without him, to everything literally blowing up in their faces, and then everything that came after in the following twenty four hours, it was a wonder Alex found himself where he was today.

It had taken some time, but they'd made it and it was worth everything as far as Alex was concerned. 

Five long years later and here Alex sat, still in his cabin but no longer alone. He smiled as he looked down at the silver band on his left hand. In the end it hadn't taken them as long to get their act together as Alex had feared it would. That day, and Alex could still remember it so clearly, sitting in the junkyard outside of the Airstream, his heart on his sleeve, waiting for Michael, terrified of what he was going to finally say to the other man only to be left waiting for hours on end before he'd had enough and got up to go in search of him.

And Alex knew. Of course he did. Alex knew exactly where Michael was. The sick feeling in his stomach told him where he needed to go to find him and pulling into the Wild Pony parking lot fifteen minutes later confirmed what he already knew. Alex had steeled himself that day, not sure what to expect when he walked in but fearing for the worst because why else would Michael be here and not with him? He'd made his decision and it wasn't Alex so he should just leave, right? Not make a scene. What was the point? Alex had pushed Michael away too many times now and he'd lost him. He had no one to blame but himself but in that moment, Alex remembered seeing a flash of what his life without Michael could be and it terrified him. He didn't want that. Alex wanted Michael and he knew if he had to fight for him, then so be it.

Alex had exited his SUV that day with pure determination coursing through his veins. He loved Michael Guerin and he had since he was seventeen years old and the teen had stolen his guitar. Alex had fought too many wars to lose this battle.

Walking into the Pony, Alex stood back and watched as Michael played the guitar for, as far as he knew, the first time in more than a decade. His breath had caught in his throat and that had caught the attention of both the people in the room and two sets of eyes had turned to face him, one surprised and one guilty.

As calmly as he could, even as his knees trembled, Alex had walked to Michael and took the guitar from his hands and placed it back in its stand. He'd reached out with shaking hands and took Michael's now smooth hand in his and grasped it tightly. He remembered the pained look in Michael's eyes as he'd made contact with Alex's. He knew Max had had something to do with it and that was a story for when they didn't have an audience. Instead Alex had pulled Michael to his feet and asked him, point blank, to choose.

Michael had stuttered and stammered, jerked his hand out of Alex's hold and yelled at him, damned him for asking him to do something he had no right to do and Alex couldn't blame him. What right did he have? He'd hurt Michael almost more than anyone in their lives. But Alex knew, he felt it in his soul, that they were meant to be, that they were worth fighting for. So Alex had asked again. Choose.

That time Michael had thrown it up in Alex's face that he'd already picked Maria, that he'd marched right in and kissed her and Alex had turned to face his best friend, tears in his eyes at that. She at least had the decency to look ashamed of herself.

“If you can look me in the eye and tell me you choose Maria, Michael, and mean it, I'll walk away from you and never look back but if you can't, if you want me, I'm don't walking away from you. I'm tired of not having what I want, Guerin. I'm tired of fighting it. Ten years I've loved you. Ten years I've walked away from you. I am sorry, more sorry than you'll ever know for every time I have ever made you feel like I didn't love you or didn't want you or, God forbid, that you weren't worth it because you are. You are worth everything to me, Michael Guerin. I love you. I will always love you. So I'm asking, one more time, choose. And this is it. I won't bother you again. I won't ask you again. But I need to know because I can't do this anymore. I'm breaking my own heart now and I can't, I can't do it,” Alex had cried, standing in front of Michael in the middle of the Wild Pony. That had been five years ago and Alex Manes had walked out of that bar hand in hand with the man of his dreams.

A lot had happened since then. Isobel was fast on her way to becoming a lawyer, her need to fix the damage that Noah had left behind nearly consuming her at first before she'd realized just how much the work actually meant to her. Michael and Max had never been more proud. And Max, he'd only stayed dead for a week before they'd figured out a way to bring him back. It was complicated and messy but they'd done it with no other lives lost. It had been the longest week of everyone's lives but they'd gotten him back and Liz, Isobel and Michael couldn't have been happier the day he'd walked out of that small makeshift cave Noah had made for himself.

Max was the Sheriff now, after Kyle's mom had retired. Liz his fiance. Not that everyone hadn't seen that one coming. The little girl they had, however, had been a surprise for everyone. An alien pregnancy that no one was prepared for. Alex smiled as he thought back to those long, at times extremely tense months. It came as a surprise to everyone that an alien pregnancy went nearly the same as a human one. With the added bonus that every time Liz touched an outlet she blew it out from the forth month onward. But at 39 and a half weeks in Liz had given birth to a very loud, very healthy baby girl, right there in their living room. No one had wanted to risk a hospital delivery in case it wasn't a very normal pregnancy. Kyle had delivered her and placed her in Liz's outstretched arms with the entire family watching and it had been amazing. Alex remembered not being able to believe that his life had somehow ended up with him standing in a room watching while one of his best friends from childhood gave birth to a human/alien hybrid baby. He'd laughed and everyone had turned to look at him but he'd only waved them off, later explaining what he'd thought and that time everyone laughing with him.

Kyle was, of course, still Kyle. He still worked at the hospital but since things had calmed down and since there were no major threats hanging over anyone heads anymore, he and Alex had had time to actually work on their friendship. Alex could honestly, and happily say he had his best friend back. Even he and Michael were friends now, which helped, since a little over a year ago Alex had asked Michael to marry him and it came as a great shock to literally no one when Michael said yes.

Alex shook himself from his thoughts thinking for a second that he'd heard something outside. When nothing came again after a few seconds he let his mind wonder back to that day, the day he'd finally made an honest man out of Michael Guerin. Almost exactly a year ago now. He looked down at his hand again and at the silver wedding band on his ring finger. It was simple and it was perfect. Alex didn't need anything flashy, he didn't want it and Michael knew that. 

It had been a simple Fall day when Michael had walked down the aisle with Isobel on one arm, Liz on the other, towards him with little Sofia toddling ahead of them towards Alex and Max, both stood at the front, carrying a tiny basket of flowers, doing a terrible job as their flower girl. But she was only two. She got a pass. Michael had worn a pair simple black jeans and a white pressed shirt with his black cowboy hat. Alex had opted for something a little more formal, but still black and white. Their vows had been simple, nothing flashy and yet they'd still cried but when Max had pronounced them husbands, and to this day Alex wasn't sure Michael hadn't used his powers to propel them together quicker, Alex could remember perfectly the touch and feel of that first kiss as a married couple. Nothing compared.

Alex startled, this time knowing he'd heard something outside. Standing slowly because he'd left the prosthetic off that morning to give his leg a rest, he reached for his crutches and slowly made his way to the door. Carefully, in case it was a spooked animal, Alex opened the door. He crinkled his brow as he looked from side to side and saw nothing. A soft gurgle made Alex look down and for a few seconds he stopped breathing.

There, right on his doorstep, like something out of a storybook, was a baby. In a basket. Wide blue eyes with a mess of brown hair wrapped in a blue blanket and it was looking up at Alex.

“Oh my god,” Alex somehow managed to say, his eyes never leaving the small bundle and it was, so small, looking from where Alex stood, now leaning against his doorjamb. He suddenly needed the support. “Where did you come from?” He asked, wincing at his own stupid question. 

With a groan, Alex dropped one of his crutches and reached down to grasp the handles of the basket the baby, baby!, was in. It wasn't easy but Alex managed to get himself and the baby back into the warmth and safety of the cabin without injuring either one of them. Sitting the basket down on the sofa, Alex sat himself down beside of it, his crutch falling to the floor.

“Where did you come from?” Alex asked again, this time to himself because this wasn't an accident. His cabin was too far out into the woods for it to be. Someone had deliberately left a child on his front porch. But why? And then Alex wondered, if maybe... 

As carefully as he could, Alex looked inside the basket, in between the sides of it and the blanket to see if maybe there was a note and, Jesus Christ, Alex's eyes widened in shock as he pulled a small folded piece of paper out from under one side of the blanket.

“What is going on?” He asked himself, once again looking down at the baby, who seemed to now be drifting off to sleep. With slightly shaking hands, Alex opened the small piece of paper and read it.

_Please take care of him. He's safe with you. Protect him like I can't._

And underneath that, the symbol Alex knew Max had tattooed on his back. 

“Fuck me.” Alex hissed, eyes wide as he turned to look at the now sleeping baby. “You're an alien.”

Alex leaned back and really looked at the sleeping baby. Carefully, as though not to disturb it, or him as the note had said, Alex ran a shaking finger across his brow. He smiled when the baby scrunched his nose in irritation, much like Sofia still did when anyone attempted to wake her from her naps. Tentatively, because this was still a baby, alien or not and one thing he'd learned from being around Sofia was, when they slept, leave them alone, but Alex wanted to hold him. So he did. He reached into the basket and placed one hand underneath the child's bottom, the other under his head and Alex picked him up. He gasped as he brought him up closer to his face so he could really see him and God, he was beautiful.

“Oh, I am in so much trouble,” Alex whispered as the baby blinked his eyes open and looked up at Alex. “So so much trouble.”

Alex reached for his cell phone and shot off a text to their alien group chat because in his life that was a legit thing it contained. He gave everyone their 'technically its an emergency, get your asses over here, I'm alive and things are okay but hurry' code word but he sent Kyle a separate text asking him to please make haste and oh, could he stop and bring some bottles and baby formula before you come? And also diapers, thanks, that would be swell. Alex then tossed his phone to the other end of the couch, ignored the incessant replies and continued to hold the baby for all it was worth. 

“What is Michael going to think about you?” Alex asked the little boy, smiling at him as the unblinking blue eyes took him in. “Someone knows too much about us. Someone knows what we are. There's another alien out there. Fuck. Oops. Sorry, baby.” Alex laughed, shaking his head at himself. 

Deciding he needed to be mobile, Alex placed the baby back in the basket and reached for his crutch. Careful as he could he made his way in search of his prosthetic and put it on. Much as his leg needed the rest, he knew once his family arrived, he'd need to be on his feet. Coming back into the living room, Alex was relieved to see the baby exactly where he left him. Not that he expected the small, who knows how old kid to have levitated itself out the front door but still. Aliens. Who the fuck knew what they could do at that age?

Scooping him back up into his arms, Alex began pacing, wondering just how this was going to go. His family was, well, very opinionated and a baby suddenly showing up on his and Michael's doorstep with a note that had their families alien symbol drawn on it was, and Alex could admit it, rather suspicious. But this was a baby. It wasn't a bomb. It wasn't a Russian spy. It was a small, completely defenseless baby.

The sound of multiple cars and one very familiar truck pulling into the drive set Alex's teeth on edge. He held the baby a little tighter to his chest as he bounced him gently. He remembered how Sofia had enjoyed that when she had been this size. Alex placed his back to the door on purpose, just as it was flung open, and he knew without a shadow of a doubt who was coming in first.

“Alex, what the fuck?” Michael yelled, barreling through the door and seeing his husband standing, perfectly fine. He did his best to calm his racing heart.

“I gave you the code word that told you all I was fine,” Alex said, without turning. “I just needed you all here. Something came up.” He said, very slowly turning to face everyone.

“Something came- oh my god.” Liz gasped, her eyes falling on the bundle in Alex's arms.

“Is that?” Isobel asked as she stepped further into the cabin, pushing past Michael.

“Alex, what?” Max asked, clearly confused and Alex couldn't blame the poor guy.

“So. Funny story. Someone left a baby on our doorstep. Came with a note and everything,” Alex said, pulling the note out of his pocket and handing it to Michael but when Michael made no move to take it, Max stepped in and took it. Alex watched as his eyes grew to the size of half dollars before he handed the note to his sister, her face following suit.

“Alex-” Max started, taking a step towards Alex, only for Alex to take a step back.

“Max, you know I love you more than I love my own brothers, but you are not taking this baby from me,” Alex said, more fiercely then even he expected.

“Alex, we don't know anything about it. We don't know where it came from, or why it was left here,” Isobel said, very carefully Alex noted but he didn't care. They weren't taking him.

“He. Not it, Isobel. He's a little boy and someone who was obviously scared left him here because they knew he'd be safe!” Alex exclaimed, wincing when the baby protested at the raised voice. “He's a baby, for Christ's sake. What harm can he do?”

“He's an alien, Alex, one we know nothing about.” Max tried, hands held out in defense.

“Really? Like we knew nothing about Sofia when she was born?” Alex snapped.

“Hey!” Max yelled, eyes narrowed and this time he moved straight into Alex's space, or he would have if not for Michael intercepting him and stopping him.

“Not today, Maxwell,” Michael said, his voice leaving no room for argument. “If Alex said the baby stays, then the baby stays. We all trust his judgment. We always have so why not now?”

“Because we have no idea where this baby came from!” Max exclaimed, eyes wide but Alex watched as Michael stood his ground.

“Then we research. We're good at it. Just because we haven't done it in a while doesn't mean we still aren't. There's a note, there has to be a trail. Something. We look before we jump to any conclusions. But you aren't taking him, Max. I mean it. That part of this discussion is over.” Michael said and Alex couldn't believe it was possible to love him anymore than he already did and yet here he was, proving him wrong still.

“Don't come crying to me when this blows up in your face,” Max snapped before turning and stomping out of the cabin. 

“I'm, I'm sorry. I'll talk to him.” Liz said in a hurry before rushing out the door after him.

“You know this isn't going to just be that easy, right?” Isobel asked, her arms crossed over her chest. She sighed as she dropped them before stepping closer to Alex and the baby, Michael ready to stop her if he needed to. “Protective papa already, I see.” She smirked and Alex couldn't help the swell of pride he felt inside at her words.

Alex shifted to Isobel could get a better look at him. He was pleased to see the small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

“Fine. He's cute. You happy?” She asked with a put upon sigh and Alex grinned. “But I'm serious. You're going to have to be extremely careful. You can't just suddenly show up in town with a baby, you realize that right? People will notice. But, god. Okay, let me see what I can do. Maybe I can work my magic and make this look legit.” 

“Wait, what?” Michael said, turning suddenly with wide eyes as he looked at his sister.

“Michael, your husband has all but just adopted a baby. Congratulations. Its a boy.” Isobel deadpanned. “Seriously though. Let me see what I can do. Maybe I can make this seem, not as sketchy as it could be.” With that she turned and walked back out the door, leaving the two men alone finally.

“I didn't, I haven't-” Alex stumbled over his words, at a loss for what to say because, had he just done what Isobel had accused him of? Looking down at the baby in his arms, he tried to imagine, for a second, letting Max take him and the overwhelming feeling of how wrong it felt, Alex couldn't. He just could not feel bad about wanting to keep and protect this child.

“Alex, what-” Michael started, and Alex spun on his heel, interrupting him before he could say something neither of them wanted to hear.

“I don't know where he came from, Michael, and I don't know why someone would leave him here but I can't- I can't give him up.” Tears filled Alex's eyes as he turned the baby around in his arms for the first time for Michael to see. “He's innocent and someone out there trusts us enough to take care of him. I know we've never really discussed having kids before but, God, Michael, can you really tell me you've never thought about it? At all? With our lives we'd never be able to adopt legally. This is, maybe this is meant to be. Maybe this is our one chance,” Alex did nothing to stop the tears as they rolled down his cheeks.

Michael stepped forward, slowly and carefully Alex noted, one trembling hand reaching out and Alex nearly sobbed in relief when his husband placed it gently on the little boys head, thumb moving slowly over his soft wisps of hair.

“All I have ever wanted with you is a family,” Michael said, smiling down at the baby in Alex's arms, then up at Alex and Alex, letting go of a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, did sob as he leaned into Michael's waiting arms.

That was the scene Kyle walked into, arms full of baby supplies. He hated to interrupt what was obviously a very touching moment but someone needed to explain to him why exactly he was carrying an entire aisles worth of their local Walmart's baby section. But when the two men in front of him separated, he had his answer.

“Please God tell me one of you didn't steal a baby,” Kyle groaned, setting the bags down and moving quickly to Alex's side where he didn't hesitate to remove the child from Alex's arms, even as Alex protested. “Because even that is something I don't know if I can condone, unless we stole it from a psychotic baby killing cult, then I can be on board with that.”

“No, you- Kyle!” Alex snapped, taking the baby back and cradling him against his chest. “I didn't steal a baby! Someone left him here, on the porch. That's why I texted everyone,” He explained.

“Uh, did no one get the message?” Kyle asked, looking around curiously at the empty cabin.

“No, they got it, they just didn't approve of my decision so they left.” Alex said and Kyle grinned.

“You mean Max didn't approve so he left in a huff while Liz and Isobel followed? Typical.” Kyle rolled his eyes. “But that, wait. What decision?”

“Kyle, he's an alien,” Alex said, like it was something they dealt with every day. “I can't just hand him over to Max and let him go into the system. I'm not doing that. Whoever left him here trusts us, they knew he'd be safe.” Alex turned and grabbed the note that had been left with the baby and held it out for both men to see. “Who else would know to leave that drawing except another alien? Or someone that knows about them? Someone trusts us, trusts me and I will not break that trust.”

“So... uh, congratulations are in order then?” Kyle asked, a nervous laugh on the tip of his tongue as he eyed his friends.

“Can you please check him over? See if he's alright? He's barely made a sound since I found him and he was outside for who knows how long before I realized something was there. I just, I need to make sure he'd okay.” Alex said, nervously, this time as he handed the baby over to Kyle himself.

“Sure. Just, let me go grab my bag from the car first,” Kyle said, before placing the baby in Michael's arms and dashing out the door. 

“Uh.” Michael said, eyes wide as he looked down at the incredibly small bundle now resting against his chest. He seemed so much smaller than Sofia ever had. Why did his chest suddenly feel so tight?

“Michael,” Alex's voice was soft and Michael looked up, swallowing hard past the lump that had decided to form in his throat.

“We really gonna do this, Alex?” Michael asked, worry and fear bubbling up from a place inside he'd always tried to keep hidden. “Because, I gotta tell you, I have no role model to work off of here. For all you know, I will be a crap father,” He laughed a sad, broken laugh and Alex swooped in to wrap his arms around them both.

“You could never, Michael. Not ever be a bad father,” Alex swore fiercely and Michael let loose the tears he'd been holding back.

“Why is it I have all the luck of seeing you two in these sickeningly sweet moments?” Kyle asked with a sigh as he entered the cabin again.

“Just your luck I guess, Valenti,” Michael said with a wet laugh as he pulled away from Alex and turned to, reluctantly, hand over the baby. Alex couldn't help but smile.

“Let's take him into the bedroom so I can lay him out on the bed, if that's okay with you?” Kyle asked, not waiting for a reply before he was making his way down the hall in the direction of their bedroom, Alex and Michael hot on his heels.

Inside their room, both men watched as Kyle gently laid the baby in the center of the bed before unwrapping him from the blanket he was still in.

“I have no way of knowing exactly how old he is but just by looking I can guess he's probably around a month, maybe two months old,” Kyle said and Alex gasped.

“That's really fucking young,” Michael said as Alex gripped his hand tight.

“It is,” Kyle sighed as he began to remove the clothes the little boy was dressed in. “But its obvious whoever he's been with cared for him. He's dressed appropriately and he doesn't seem to be underfed. I can't tell exactly since I have no way to weigh him but he doesn't look malnourished.”

“Thank God,” Alex whispered against Michael's shoulder where his head was now resting.

From his bag, Kyle produced a stethoscope and pressed it against the now squirming baby's chest. While he listened, Alex was sure he forgot how to breathe himself.

“Everything sounds fine, nothing out of place, strong heartbeat.” Kyle said, turning to look at Alex and Michael with a smile. “I don't know what more I can actually do here. He needs a full checkup and for that he'll have to be brought in. I can make sure no one sees him but me, obviously but guys, do you want a full work up done? Blood panels and everything? Because that could draw attention. Since we have no idea where he came from, I mean. Its not like with Sofia. We knew where she was from. This little one, he's a complete mystery.”

“We know he's an alien, Kyle so no, we can't risk it.” Alex said, voice firm. “At least not at the hospital. If you and Liz want to check his blood yourselves, fine but not anywhere near the hospital where the wrong eyes can see what you're doing.” He left no room for discussion.

“You're in charge, dad, so whatever you say goes,” Kyle grinned and it felt like someone had knocked the wind right out of Alex. 

“You okay?” Michael asked, turning so that only Alex could hear him speak.

“I uh, yeah. I just, that's going to take some getting used to.” Alex admitted as he tried to fight back a smile that was threatening to form on his lips.

“Well, here's your intro into being daddies,” Kyle said with a grimace. “Kid needs a diaper change. Everything you need is out in those bags I left by the door. Since I am no longer needed, and since this is not my kid, I am taking my leave. Have fun pops,” He said, saluting them both before scurrying out of the room.

Apparently no, changing a little boys diaper was not the same as changing a little girls. This was a lesson they learned the hard way.

“Fuck you, Alex, its not that funny!” Michael yelled from the bathroom as he washed the pee from his neck and chest.

“No, it- it really is, Mikey, he almost got you in the mouth!” Alex laughed, laying back on the bed, the baby on his chest, those wide blue eyes watching his every move.

“He's lucky he's so damn cute,” Michael grumbled under his breath as he finally made his way out of the bathroom.

“Put a shirt on and get over here, you big baby,” Alex laughed, smiling as his husband easily complied. 

“You're lucky you're so damn cute too, ya know?” Michael said as he crawled into their bed and placed a kiss against Alex's lips. “Now, what exactly are we gonna do here, babe? Cause, we are not ready for a kid.”

“I know we're not, but Michael, can you honestly see us giving him to your brother to put into the system? Can we do that to him?” Alex asked and maybe he was playing dirty as he passed the baby over to Michael, laying him on his husbands chest but watching as Michael's eyes locked with a set Alex was quickly becoming all too familiar with.

“I'm onto you, Manes,” Michael said, only every using his old name when he was in a teasing mood. “You think I don't know what you're trying to do, using the kid against me? You know damn well there's no way we can let him go into the system, Alex. I can't let what happened to me, happen to him.”

“I know, babe. I wasn't trying to guilt trip you-” Alex started, instantly feeling bad for what he'd said.

“I know. I know you wouldn't. Its just, can we really do this?” Michael asked. “Can we take care of a kid? Can we be parents? I never had any and yours were, well, what you had was a piece of shit. How do we even go about raising this kid if we didn't have anyone worth anything that raised us?” He asked, his voice low and Alex's heart broke for the life Michael had been deprived of.

“So we give him what we never got.” Alex said. “We know what not to do. We love him unconditionally and we teach him right from wrong. We don't force our beliefs on him and we let him love whoever he wants to love.”

“You really want to do this, Alex? You want to, to be dads? He's an alien, we don't know a thing about what they're like as babies and kids. We're still waiting to see when Sofia's powers are going to manifest. It could be dangerous. It could be-” Michael said and Alex leaned over to silence him with a kiss.

“I don't think any new parents know what they're doing, to be honest. Its all a learning experience.” Alex countered with a small grin.

“Yeah, but most new parents don't have to worry about their toddler accidentally blowing up the t.v. with their mind when they get upset,” Michael sighed, remembering a bad time from his childhood before he'd gotten control over his powers.

“And he'll have you to help him through all of that. Its the one thing you didn't have.” Alex smiled and Michael sighed. 

“Why are you always right?” He asked and Alex grinned.

“Because I am your husband and that's just the way this works,” Alex said, scooting closer and resting his head on Michael's shoulder. Reaching out he brushed the baby's soft locks back off of his forehead as he slept.

“You know he's gotta have a name, right? We can't just keep calling him baby,” Michael teased and Alex snorted, because yes, he did know that and yes, Alex had already thought of what he presumed to be the perfect name, though he had no idea what Michael would think.

“I was already thinking, and I have no idea what you'll think but I thought it fit, all things considered,” Alex rambled nervously.

“All things considered?” Michael asked curiously.

“I mean, he is an alien and he's ours now so, but if you don't like it that's fine, it was just a passing thought!” Alex hurried to say, wincing slightly when the sleeping baby stretched on Michael's chest.

“Alex...” Michael sighed.

“What if we called him Rath?” Alex quietly asked and waited.

“Why?” Michael asked and Alex propped himself up on his elbow so he could better see his husband when he spoke.

“Because you had your name taken away from you without even knowing it. Because its your name, Michael and it deserves to be passed on. If he's, if he's going to be our son then who better to give it to?” Alex asked with a smile as he leaned down to kiss away a stray tear that was threatening to fall from Michael's eye. “But only if you approve.”

“Out of everywhere our ship could have landed, and all the billions of people I could have met, how did I get so lucky as to fall in love with you?” Michael asked, turning to look up at the best thing that had ever happened to him. “You continue to amaze me.”

“You said it yourself, years ago. We're cosmic. Written in the stars. I'd go as far to say soulmates, sweetheart,” Alex smiled as he laid his head back on Michael's chest.

“You'd really name him after me?” Michael asked, almost timidly and even after all these years it broke Alex's heart to hear that tone in his voice.

“Without a second thought,” Alex replied without hesitation.

“Can we give him your middle name then?” His husband asked and Alex smiled so wide he was afraid his face might freeze that way.

“If that's what you want, that's what we'll do.” Alex agreed and together the two men looked at the sleeping baby on Michael's chest and smiled. “Rath Jordan Guerin. At the very least, he'll never have to worry about anyone having his name in school,” Alex teased and above him Michael laughed, chest shaking and waking the baby, who, for the first time since Alex had found him, opened his mouth and screamed.

Welcome to parenthood, indeed.

They never did find who had left Rath on the doorstep to the cabin that day. And they had looked. They'd hunted for another alien in town for weeks, months in Max's case before finally giving up and taking the loss. There had been no threat hot on the heels of the baby, like Max had feared, no strangers showing up in town asking questions or making a scene. There was just the small bundle that Alex and Michael now called theirs and that was it.

It had taken Isobel close to a month before she'd been able to make the adoption look real and when she'd shown up at the cabin that day, papers in hand, Alex had cried. 

“You can thank me by never asking me to babysit,” Isobel had said, even as she'd held her new nephew in her arms and smiled at him. 

“Sure thing, Iz,” Michael had said, tears in his own eyes as he'd hugged Alex.

“But why us, do you think?” Michael had asked, months later, once they'd finally given up hope of ever finding who'd left Rath for them.

“Someone knew enough about us to trust us with their child's life. Someone looked at us and decided we could do this,” Alex had said as he held the then four month old baby in his arms, bottle pressed to his lips as he eagerly drank his afternoon bottle. “I don't know why, but someone chose us and whoever it was, I will never be able to thank them enough,” He added with a smile as he looked down at the child in his arms.

The first time they saw a glimpse of Rath's powers he was eight months old and in the middle of his least favorite time of the day.

“Yeah, sorry kid, but this is what happens when you decide you'd rather swim in your mashed peas than eat them,” Alex said as he attempted to wash the green mess from his son's nose. 

Rath screaming during his bath wasn't unusual. That was completely normal for their child. What wasn't normal was the cloth in Alex's hand being forcibly ripped from him and flung across the room. Alex sat stunned, eyes wide as he looked down at his wet, sniffling kid, who now that he wasn't being cleaned with the apparently highly offensive torture device, was already calming down.

“Oh, fuck me,” Alex groaned. “You really are your father's child.” Rath giggled and Alex sighed. A telekinetic baby. Of course when Michael got home from work later that night, Alex could see it in his eyes, just how proud he really was, even if the thought of it scared the shit out of them both.

“We've still got this, Guerin, don't worry,” Alex said and Michael, though Alex knew he was still worried, smiled. They'd made it this far. 

And they did. Alex and Michael were kick ass parents, to the surprise of no one. They were the parents that neither of them got growing up. 

As it turned out, on what they'd decided was Rath's first birthday, their little boy who wasn't so little anymore, was the one giving out gifts that day. They were halfway through the cake, Rath covered from head to toe in the brightest green icing that Alex had ever seen and later, when they were alone, he'd be sure to kick his husbands ass for the alien themed party he'd walked into, when Rath had decided to speak. For the first time, leaving both his dads speechless.

“Michael, no!” Alex was laughing as Michael was attempting to smash a piece a bright green cake into his face, the laughter of their friends and family all around them almost drowning it out.

“Da, da!” Rath laughed, clapping his cake covered hands together and bringing both of his dads to a screeching halt. They'd been worried when, up to this point, Rath hadn't spoke. Hadn't attempted to speak. Whereas Sofia had started talking at eleven months and making sounds much earlier than that, Rath said nothing. He'd been a mostly quiet baby, which was a godsend but still, in the back of Alex's mind, he'd worried.

“Did he just-” Alex started, turning wide eyes from Michael to look at their son.

“Da!” Rath said again, throwing his hands up, asking for his fathers and both men nearly tripped over themselves in their haste to get to him first. 

“Oh my god, my sweet boy!” Alex said, scooping Rath up, cake completely forgotten. “When did you learn to do that?!”

“I've been working with him,” Michael said from beside of Alex and Alex turned, stunned. “I know how much you've wanted him to start talking, how worried you've been and I figured, well, his first word might as well mean something to you, right? Didn't think he'd say it today but, its kinda perfect.”

“Your daddy is perfect, Rath,” Alex said, eyes never leaving Michael's as he smiled. 

Alex never could have dreamed, fifteen years ago, that this would be his life. Standing in his back yard, his son in his arms, his husband by his side, happy with his life. He'd been to hell and back, lost a part of him that he could never get back but through all of that, in spite of everything, Alex was still standing, surrounded by a family that loved him for who he was. Smiling, he hugged his cake covered child tight and pressed a kiss to his sticky forehead. 

“You're forgiven for the alien theme, Guerin,” Alex said as he leaned in to kiss Michael, Rath squirming in between them.

“The kid liked it, ya know,” Michael grinned and Alex groaned because of course he did.

“He's a child. Its all bright colors. He can't be held accountable.” Alex argued, eyes narrowed. 

“Whatever you say, babe,” Michael laughed as he took Rath from Alex's arms. “Let's get you cleaned up so we can tear into some presents, yeah kid?”

“Da!” Rath exclaimed excitedly in Michael's arms and Alex melted at the sight, his heart beating wildly in his chest. God, how he'd ever gotten so lucky he'd never know but he would always thank whoever left that little baby on their doorstep that day. 

“Thank you,” Alex whispered, eyes closed as he took a moment before he turned back to his family with a smile. Yes. Whoever they were, wherever they were, Alex hoped they knew just what they'd given him. Thank you, indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> I mean, if one can love their own writing, I love this so much. I really hope you guys do too. 
> 
> Thank you for sticking with me through this awesome Alex Manes Appreciation week! All the comments and kudos, you guys seriously rock! You've made my week the actual best!!


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